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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26141320">First Time's A Charm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/delano/pseuds/delano'>delano</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Monster of Maryland [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate universe - Mafia, Butcher Andrew Minyard, First Meeting, Flirting, M/M, Protective Andrew Minyard, Sassy Neil Josten, Soft Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, kind of ooc Andrew and Neil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:47:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,438</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26141320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/delano/pseuds/delano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Neil and Andrew's first meeting, love at first sight?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neil Josten &amp; Allison Reynolds, Neil Josten &amp; Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Monster of Maryland [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>356</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>fist chap is mostly Neil to give some ~background</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Stuart stood in front of Neil, assessing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the first time Neil was actually allowed to choose the outfit himself, and judging by Stuart's expression, he had already failed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay well, the first problem is you're wearing a brown belt."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil raised his eyebrows. "Oh, so we hate brown now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stuart frowned deeper if that was possible. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, we hate when you're wearing a brown belt and black shoes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil sighed. "Fine I give up, you choose something then." He whined.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stuart grinned, relishing in Neil's failure. "Oh great, because I've got some guests coming today we definitely want to make a good impression on."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil narrowed his eyes. Half of the people that come to Stuart's "parties" know how to kill a man with a spoon, who on earth could Stuart be obsessing over this much?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stuart went over to Neil's suit closet and flung it open. "Honestly, I always get you the best suits, it is </span>
  <em>
    <span>beyond</span>
  </em>
  <span> me how you end up somehow fucking it up every time." He pulled out a black velvet suit and threw it over to Neil on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil, who was used to his uncle's dramatics, caught it effortlessly. In quick succession, a belt and shoes followed. These, Neil </span>
  <em>
    <span>somehow</span>
  </em>
  <span> managed to catch, but it was beyond him how.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright, kid, I'm giving you one more chance." He opened the door wide to reveal Neil's ties. "Choose one."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil stepped forward and selected one he thought seemed nice, skinny, clean cut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stuart groaned. "You could </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> for a pop of color?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil looked down at the tie in his hands "I like gray."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Course you do. Get dressed, and someone's gonna be in to do your hair because we all know what happened the </span>
  <em>
    <span>last</span>
  </em>
  <span> time you tried to fix it yourself."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil sighed. "Yeah okay."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And Neil," Stuart said, popping his head back in. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Try </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be on your best behavior?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil laughed. "Oh come on, Stuart. We all know what happened last time I promised you that." He replied, mocking his uncle.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil could hear Stuart's groan from the other side of the door and smiled, it really wasn't like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried</span>
  </em>
  <span> to annoy people, but sometimes the people who came to these "business meetings" just had an air of a little too much self-importance, and if it wasn't Neil's job to knock them down a peg or two, then who's?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil could hear people entering and milling about down in their first-level living room as he sat restlessly in a chair, having his hair pulled and toyed with, trying to make it sit </span>
  <em>
    <span>just right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Neil, hold </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking still,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Allison said, smearing gel into her hands, then into Neil's hair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay sorry, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it's hard to stay still when someone is </span>
  <em>
    <span>pulling out my hair</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allison snorted. "You're so dramatic."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil glared back. Among Stuart's employees, Allison was probably his favorite. She was around his age, and always played with his hair and took him shopping, trying her best to give him a taste of a normal life. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There, all done" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil looked at himself in the mirror. "It hardly looks any different?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, see, before your hair was just messy, now it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>artfully </span>
  </em>
  <span>messy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil glanced at Allison through the mirror. "Thanks" he deadpanned and stood up. He looked at himself in the mirror and begrudgingly admitted that he did actually look pretty good, the suit fit him great, Stuart only let him get tailored suits, and Allison had put on some light makeup </span>
  <em>
    <span>to make his eyes pop she said</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He found himself smiling at his reflection, something he hadn't done in a very long time, if ever. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She stood beside him. “Gonna make anyone erupt this time?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil smiled. “We’ll see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil descended the stairs and headed to the party. Officially, he was here as a translator for all of the different groups Stuart did his business with, but Neil knew that Stuart just wanted him to socialize a little.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced around, looking for anyone unfamiliar, remembering that Stuart said someone to impress would be coming. He didn't see anyone new yet, but unfortunately, he</span>
  <em>
    <span> did</span>
  </em>
  <span> spot a Moriyama, and, even more unfortunately, he spotted Neil.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Neil!" Riko greeted and slunk over. "I haven't seen you in </span>
  <em>
    <span>months, </span>
  </em>
  <span>did you miss me?" He ended with a smile Neil assumed was trying to be wolfish, but fell flat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Riko, of course, it's always a pleasure." As of right now, Riko was somewhat of an ambassador for the Moriyamas, a job he thought made him important, but he was nothing more than a glorified errand boy, and there was talk of getting rid of him entirely once Ichirou took over, which would be any day now. Changes were already being made, employees </span>
  <em>
    <span>relocated</span>
  </em>
  <span>, new management. Everyone knew that Kengo wouldn't last much longer. And Neil couldn't wait. He had a semi-okay relationship with Ichirou, but Kengo always viewed him like dirt, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bastard</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He slung his arm around Neil and Neil could already tell that Riko was drunk. “Well Neil, word is there’s talk about firming up ties, if you catch my drift.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil tried to shrug him off. “What? Like arranging marriages? There’s always talk of that, since when did you listen to gossip?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Riko eyed him. “Come now, you must have thought about it.” Riko’s grip becomes decidedly firmer and begins to travel from his shoulder down his arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This catches Neil off guard and he lets out a laugh. “I can definitely say that I have </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>thought about it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Riko’s smile turns into something more ugly. “It’s just a matter of time, and it makes sense, doesn’t it? Me and you?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, this was becoming less amusing. “Fuck off, Riko, I have a job to do here, unlike you.” Neil shoved Riko off and started over to where he saw Allison standing. Neil sensed that Riko was going to try and grab his shoulder, but right as he turned around to catch Riko’s hand and do some more permanent damage, someone else stepped in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If possible, the man that had caught Riko’s hand was even shorter than him, but that didn’t stop the way that Riko blanched when he saw who it was. Neil didn’t recognize this newcomer at all and was almost positive whoever it was hadn’t been at one of Stuart’s functions before, which was curious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Minyard!” Riko squeaked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Pretty sure he just told you to fuck off,” the man growled to Riko.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Minyard, come on, he didn’t really mean that we’ve known each other for-” Riko’s words were cut off suddenly and Neil saw the flash of a blade being pressed into his jugular.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, now </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>telling you to fuck off.” He let go of Riko with a shove and watched Riko all but scurry away with his tail between his legs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil was annoyed. He didn’t need this, </span>
  <em>
    <span>whoever he was</span>
  </em>
  <span>, making a scene. He’s been dealing with Riko for plenty long </span>
  <em>
    <span>just fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But right as Neil began to open his mouth to tell the guy off he turned around.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And holy fuck this man was gorgeous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This stalled Neil enough for the man to get in the first word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I apologize for him.” He said in a monotone, bored voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil snapped back to reality. “And who the fuck do you think you are? I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me,” He retorted. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great, there he goes running his mouth again.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Neil saw the man’s eyes thin, but something shined in them, even as they narrowed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Andrew Minyard, right hand of the Moriyamas.” Andrew offered his hand and Neil didn’t take it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Neil said, thinking. This must have been the man Stuart was talking about earlier. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’re their new butcher.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Something imperceptible flashed across Andrew’s eyes. “I’m,” he paused. “rebranding, if you will, I’m their Monster.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Neil and Andrew feel each other out (not literally) (...yet)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Neil laughed. “You don’t seem like a monster to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew frowned. “You don’t know me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but that didn’t keep you from stopping Riko, completely unprompted, I will add again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil saw Andrew’s jaw clench. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil now stuck out his hand. “Neil Hatford,” he said. “I’m nobody.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew reached out and took it. “Somehow I think that’s not quite true.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil sucked in a breath, </span>
  <em>
    <span>was he flirting? No, right? Not with someone like him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, right then is when Stuart decided to find him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Neil! There you are!” Stuart was pushing through the crowd. “What the fuck did I say about being on your best behavior? I just passed Riko hyperventilating in the hallway.” Stuart said while he was approaching, once he actually looked up he stalled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew pulled his hand away from where it was still locked into a handshake with Neil and turned to face him. “Mr. Hatford, I want to thank you for your invitation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Andrew Minyard, so glad you could make it. I look forward to working with you.” Neil watched his uncle’s demeanor change rapidly, from annoyed uncle to mob boss. “I feel the need to proactively apologize for whatever my nephew has said.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew smiled. “Of course, how generous of you, although I think you’ll find it comforting to hear he hasn’t done anything too offensive, yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stuart’s eyebrows shot up. “Then what happened with Riko?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that was my doing,” He replied. “Riko was being rather bothersome, more so than usual. I felt it only necessary to remind him of his place.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stuart laughed. “And I thank you for it.” He turned back to Neil. “The Kritov’s are looking for you.” He said, gesturing over to the members of the Bravta who needed some sort of translating done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Neil said and took off towards them, glancing back at Andrew for a second before he was swallowed by the crowd.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil had bounced from group to group, translating certain discussions ranging from the weather to illegal shipments of weapons that would be taking place over the next month. By the time dinner was actually served he was exhausted and famished. He noticed Riko eying him, but never approached him again. Neil silently thanked Andrew. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat down for dinner in their dining hall. Stuart at the head, Neil at his right, Andrew on Stuart’s left, right across from Neil. So close, but so far away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, there was somewhat of an unspoken rule at Stuart’s dinners that business wasn’t touched at the table, so Neil was free to try and smash down all the different languages swimming around in his head and focus on whatever fancy dish was set in front of him. The waiter took off the cloche and he was free to finally eat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So Neil,” Allison whispered from beside him. “What do you think of Minyard?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil glanced at Andrew, only to be met with Andrew’s eyes, staring right back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s a prick,” Neil said, out loud, while still looking into Andrew’s eyes</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you’re an idiot,” Andrew replied and took a bite of his steak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil made casual conversation with the people around him for the rest of the night, he was honestly proud of himself for how far he’d come in terms of conversing about mundane topics. The weather, children, the illegal weapons trade through England. Andrew was occupied by discussions with Stuart on how their partnership would work for most of the dinner, things were going smoothly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So Neil,” A voice popped up from somewhere down the table, conversation simmered down to try and listen in to what was about to happen. “I was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>devastated</span>
  </em>
  <span> to hear about your poor mother. Just goes to show what running around on the streets does to someone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil sucked in a breath. Who the fuck did this woman think she is? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whispers buzzed around the room. Neil’s mother, Mary Hatford, had been pronounced dead just over three months ago, car accident years ago had left her in a coma, and Stuart and Neil had finally made the decision to put her out of her misery. He’d made his peace a long time ago, but her death was still fresh in the minds of everyone here tonight, and as much as people gave him space, many in the organized crime community still found it shameful that she tried to run away from it, and even more shameful when she came crawling back to the family, pregnant and unmarried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stuart’s mouth dropped open in shock, but before he could say anything Neil was already on the offense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>“Thank you </span><em><span>so much</span></em><span> for your condolences.” He began. “In return, I do hope your poor son is doing well.” He was not. Years of drug addiction had all but drained their family dry, and finally, they had no choice but to force him into rehab.</span> <span>The woman’s, </span><em><span>Elizabeth’s, </span></em><span>mouth gaped.</span> <span>“And can I also just say your earrings tonight look </span><em><span>spectacular</span></em><span>, where on Earth did you get them.”</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her face went pale, obviously expecting Neil to be thrown off guard enough to not retaliate. “I- they’re a family heirloom-,”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil tilted his head. “Hmm, looks more like they’re from Party City to me,” Her face went red. “Honestly you come to a dinner party with </span>
  <em>
    <span>criminals</span>
  </em>
  <span> and expect no one to tell your jewelry is faker than your breasts? Oh honey,” His voice takes on a mocking tone. “You’re lucky that my </span>
  <em>
    <span>mother</span>
  </em>
  <span> taught me the word hospitality, or else you’d be thrown out of the house on your </span>
  <em>
    <span>fake ass.</span>
  </em>
  <span> However, I do want to make it clear that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>will not be invited back </span>
  </em>
  <span>to the Hatford home.” Neil talks casually, as if discussing the weather, but his voice had an edge that made everyone deadly quiet while he was talking. He continues cutting his steak. “How is your filet?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil saw Stuart cover his mouth with his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner only a few minutes to recover from Neil’s attack. Everyone was used to Neil’s sharp mouth by now and didn’t want to be his next target.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, almost everyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil looked around the table to make sure everyone was sufficiently cowed, and his eyes latched onto Andrew’s who were staring back unabashedly at Neil’s. Neil gave him a wink because he was an instigator at heart and went back to eating his steak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck Neil, Andrew looks like he wants to </span>
  <em>
    <span>ravish you</span>
  </em>
  <span> on this table.” Allison leaned over and whispered to him. Neil could smell the alcohol on her breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up and drink your wine, Ally,” Neil replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of dinner was uneventful, save for the burning glances that Andrew kept throwing over to Neil, who held his gaze steadily. Andrew spoke to him only once more, near the end of dessert. “Your uncle has invited us to stay here tonight.” Andrew was looking right at Neil, there’s no one else he could be talking to. </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Us?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, since I was a late addition to this gathering the Moriyama representative and myself were not able to secure a suitable hotel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, so he and Riko. Right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The thing is, your house is so grand I’m half worried I’ll get lost trying to get to my room, it’s in the right-wing, guest room number 12?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil realized Andrew was waiting for him to reply. “Yes, I know the room.” Neil looks around, no one else was really paying attention, most were already filtering away from the table, Stuart had gone over to the opposite end of the table, Allison had walked over to distract Riko from Neil for a while. They were all but alone in their little end of the table. Neil swallowed as he looked back up at Andrew’s face, it was gorgeous, harsh lines, deep honey brown eyes, all the way down to his apathetic stare. Neil decided to leap. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you,” Neil paused. “Maybe let me escort you? So you don’t get lost.” He added hastily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew’s eyes shone. “I wouldn’t want to get lost.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil stood up at the same time Andrew did, and they headed for the door.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks so much for reading!!<br/>as always kudos, and esp comments, are always appreciated!!<br/>next up: Neil and Andrew's first alone time ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. pt. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Andrew and Neil are alone for the first time, whatever will they get up to?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys!<br/>Wow super sorry about the lateness of this chap but midterms hit and i was Swamped.<br/>Nevertheless here she is!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neil walked slightly behind Andrew as he led the way, expertly twisting himself through the labyrinth of turns and doorways.</p><p>“Seems like you know your way around.” Neil teased. “Come here often?”</p><p>“You think I go into any building without knowing the floor plan by heart?” To be fair, though, it takes him about a second to memorize a floor plan, eidetic memory and all.</p><p>Neil grinned. “Then you should know what’s coming up on the right.”<br/>
Andrew did. It was a library, tucked out of the way in between some vacant rooms and offices. Andrew had to give it to Neil, he was expecting subtlety to fly right over his head, but just then Neil grabbed to tug on Andrew’s sleeve, careful to not touch Andrew’s actual hand. Interesting. Andrew thought as he let himself be tugged into the room.</p><p>“A library?” he asked, purely to humor him, not because he was really interested, of course not.</p><p>“It’s my favorite room in the house,” Neil replied, wandering over to one of the shelves and picking a book. “No one really knows it’s here.” Neil carded through the pages and sucked in a breath as his finger was sliced on one of the pages, a bead of blood welled up and threatened to spill over, and Neil unthinkingly smeared it over the book.</p><p>“So it’s somewhere you can hide,” Andrew said, walking over to Neil to catch a glimpse of his reaction. He grabbed Neil’s hand and dabbed up the rest of the blood.</p><p>“It’s somewhere I can escape.”</p><p>Not for the first time, Andrew could not stop thinking about how interesting Neil was, how different, how attractive. Neil’s eyes flashed up and they were practically electric blue. Andrew had to fight to stop from reaching out to tug on Neil’s hair, just to check if he was real.</p><p>“What do you need to escape from, Neil?” His uncle seemed like he cared about him, but Andrew knew how good people were of deceiving others.</p><p>“I don’t know, I shouldn’t complain, I have everything I could want here,” </p><p>Andrew knew what he was trying to say. He couldn’t really be himself here. He understood, sometimes these sorts of jobs made it difficult to be yourself, a lot of tiptoeing around others who you know could have you killed, but now that Andrew was on top, now that people had to tiptoe around him, did he feel better or worse?</p><p>“Neil,” Andrew started. This got Neil’s head to jerk up where it was looking down at the book in his hands, a copy of Much Ado About Nothing. "I want to kiss you, yes or no?" There he goes, jumping in, already head over heels for someone he just met, how fucking gay of him.</p><p>Andrew heard Neil suck in a breath and prepared to be rejected. Who was he kidding, Neil was gorgeous, and probably already had a thing with that girl he was sitting next to anyway.</p><p>"Yes," Neil breathed. This surprised Andrew enough to jerk his head up in shock, but even more surprising was the fact that Neil was the one to close the gap between them.</p><p>And it was fucking heaven. He hadn't even thought of being with someone like this in so long, never the right time, or the right person. </p><p>But god. This felt so right.</p><p>Andrew bit down on Neil’s lower lip and Neil growled something incomprehensible, Neil began to lift his arms but stopped short. </p><p>“Where can I touch you?” </p><p>This shocked Andrew out of his daze. “What?”</p><p>Neil looked at him meaningfully. “I’m not a stranger to people putting their hands on me where I don’t like it, where am I allowed to touch you?”</p><p>Andrew reached his own hands out to latch on to Neil’s and guided them up towards his head. “Don’t grab my ass,” was all he managed before he closed the gap again and they were back to their earlier dance. </p><p>Neil latched on to that spot and carder his fingers through Andrew’s hair. Andrew thought deliriously that he didn’t want to cut his hair ever again, it felt so good when Neil ran his fingers carefully through, tugging ever so slightly along the way.</p><p>They bumped into the bookshelf as Andrew pressed Neil backward and both of them ignored as it rattled and almost toppled, a few books jostled their way on to the floor and the succession of bangs was enough to snap both of them out of it.</p><p>Neil was panting when he broke away, so was Andrew, but that was beside the point. </p><p>“What if,” Neil began. “I finished my tour and showed you to your room?”</p><p>“Right,” Andrew replied. He was so gone. “Right yes, of course. I think I’m lost”</p><p>---</p><p>They wove down the hallways occasionally giving the other a sharp look, or pulling them into an alcove for a quick kiss, but soon enough they had managed to make it to Andrew’s room. </p><p>“Do you really have 12 guest rooms in this house?”</p><p>Neil was taken aback by the mundane question as they broke apart for a breath. They had since moved on to Andrew’s bed but were staying rather tame aside from that. </p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Like, do you just call your guest rooms wildly large numbers, to throw people off? Make you think you have more rooms than you do?”</p><p>Neil laughed and ran his hand in Andrew’s hair again. “Oh no, Stuart doesn’t need to lie about his wealth, if anything I think he kind of hides it.” He smiled mischievously. He remembered when Stuart bought him 2 Aston Martin cars to try and apologize to Neil over some petty fight they had had. He can’t even remember what it was about. “We actually have 20 formal guestrooms, maybe you’ll help me in a mission I have.” Neil hardly ever acted like this. Flirty. Confident. But something about Andrew made him almost crazy.</p><p>Andrew raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Neil leaned over and whispered into his ear. “I want to hook up with you in every single one.”<br/>
Andrew grinned. “Well, no time to start like the present," He said, and went in for another heated kiss.</p><p>---</p><p>Stuart around this time had just realized that his nephew was nowhere to be found. Allison was still here, which was odd, because usually when he snuck away from parties it was with her, the first time it happened Stuart thought they were hooking up for sure, but when he barged into Neil’s room he found then sitting on the floor doing facemasks and watching Disney movies. Mary was furious, but Stuart put her in her place shortly after. </p><p>But Allison was still here, and Stuart got a pit in his stomach. Everyone here was completely cleared and trusted, aside from being pricks sometimes they had all been thoroughly investigated and checked, and had been coming to these gatherings for years and some even decades. </p><p>There was only one new addition.</p><p>Someone who had a rather hasty background check in order to get him cleared on such short notice for the party since he was still a rather new addition to the Moriyama’s.</p><p>And as Stuart scanned the room the pit in his stomach grew. </p><p>Because Andrew Minyard wasn’t here either. </p><p>He grabbed Allison and filled him in on his suspicions. She frowned but said nothing as Stuart left the dining hall, going to search for his nephew. “Keep them distracted until I get back.” Was all he said, and then he was gone.</p><p>Stuart knew that when Neil liked to be by himself he went to their library, so he went there first, and what he saw made him gasp. There were books strewn on the floor and as he went closer he saw a smear of blood on one of them, it was small, but Stuart knew how to look for it, and there it was. Stuart called his second in command. “Lockdown the house, no one leaves, be on the lookout for Minyard.” He hung up immediately and started off in the direction of Neil’s room. What he found there was discouraging, it didn’t look like anything in there had been touched since before dinner. He ran in the direction of Minyard’s room</p><p>As he got closer he could hear noises that made his blood run cold, a sharp, high-pitched cry followed by a long moan. Minyard would have a hell of a time answering for hurting his nephew, and he was already reaching for his gun he keeps in a holster on his back. He lifted one leg up and kicked open the door with such force the bang almost startled himself. He saw Minyard over Neil on the bed and Stuart’s vision went red. </p><p>He pulled Andrew off of his nephew and slammed him into the wall. “You think you can hurt my family and get away with it?” He snarled. “Who told you to do this? Was it Kengo?” Stuart put the gun on Andrew’s temple.</p><p>Andrew, for his part, remained surprisingly calm for someone who had just attacked a member of the Harford family. </p><p>“I’m afraid there’s been some sort of misconception.” Was all he said before Neil cut in.</p><p>“Holy fuck, Stuart calm down, he wasn’t hurting me!” Neil cried out, sitting up in the bed.</p><p>At this time, Stuart actually looked over at his nephew. He was shirtless, his hair even more unruly than normal, and several distinctly shaped bruises dotted his collarbone, and when he looked back at Andrew he saw the man was in a similar position, albeit with a tanktop still on.</p><p>“What the fuck?” He released Andrew Minyard quickly. “I-,” Stuart cleared his throat. “I believe there has indeed been some sort of misconception.” He turned to his nephew. “Neil, perhaps in the future you would be kind enough to inform literally anyone before running off with a crime lord. And Andrew, please accept a deep apology, I hope you understand I was only acting out of concern for my family.”</p><p>Andrew stepped forward. “If I thought someone was attacking Neil, I would have done the same.” He said, glancing over to Neil almost shyly. And Stuart saw a blush rising up on Neil’s ears.</p><p>Stuart began backing out of the room. “Yes, well, carry on. No, don’t. I mean. Not right now, I-” Stuart sighed. “I mean, Neil, I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”</p><p>Neil smiled and looked over at Andrew. “Yeah, I do.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always thanks so much for reading and please please leave comments and kudos, it really makes my day :))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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